Rainstorms kill 27 in S China

BEIJING, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Rainstorms and ensuing floods have affected seven provincial-level regions in south China, leading to 27 deaths and the relocation of over 84,000 people as of Saturday morning.

From Monday to Thursday, heavy rains battered the provinces of Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guangdong, Sichuan, Guizhou and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, affecting more than 770,000 people, according to a statement from the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

Eighteen deaths were reported in Guizhou, seven in Jiangxi and two in Fujian. Six people are missing in Guizhou.

In Guizhou, the worst-hit province, 379,000 people have been affected and 31,000 are in urgent need of basic supplies. More than 2,100 houses and 4,500 hectares of crops were destroyed.

Guizhou also suffered the highest direct economic loss of 1.79 billion yuan (292 million U.S. dollars), followed by Jiangxi with 230 million yuan.

The ministry put the total economic loss so far at nearly 2.28 billion yuan.